I took off my goggles as the coil began to glow. Rubbing my nose bridge I looked up at the ceiling. A mass of wires haphazardly attached greeted me. Once again I wondered how Igor had survived in a ship like this.

“You did it, Zee.” Igor said rushing in.

I glanced at my would be abductor. He was a big mass of muscle with an uncontrollable man of brown hair. A self proclaimed Viking that carried his axe like a child would carry their favorite toy. It was the same axe that took my leg.

And yet he gave me the same dopey grin he had when he’d rescued me from the rubble. He’d introduced himself as if we’d never been employed by two employers that had succeeded in killing each other. No he’d tended to my stump of a leg. And I’d been convinced to work on his clunker of a ship. Anything to get off this desolate planet.

His smile suddenly dropped. “Are you still mad at me?”

I raised an eyebrow as I put my stump of a leg on the work bench.

He winced. “Sorry. It was the only thing I could think of rather than killing you.” His eyes brightened. “But I could get you a new leg. Back on the Cyclops they can grow one brand new.”

“What were you doing on Cyclops?”

It was a renown facility in that it was never in the same place twice. Criminals were abound but not as much as the crazy scientists. It was rare for someone like Igor to know about it. Let alone be able to track the location of that infamous ship.

“Well, I was born there.”

I studied him. Most children of the Cyclops were born deformed. But Igor was built well. Perfectly tanned skin. Almost too bright grey eyes. And that streak of blood red in his brown locks. Wait a minute.

“You’re a clone aren’t you?”

He looked down. “I’m not supposed to tell anyone.”

“Well I hope you wouldn’t or else the feds would be on you quicker than light speed.”

Clones were illegal in most sectors. If they were caught they’d either be killed, sent to prison, or used as slaves for the rest of their lives.

“A few of them know already. But they said as long as I keep bringing them criminals they’ll leave me alone.”

He’d gotten lucky then. But it made me think back to why he was working for that idiot. Then it dawned on me.

“So, you we’re trying to use the chaos to bring your boss in.”

He nodded. “I might have if he didn’t blow up. But if he hadn’t I wouldn’t have a new friend like you.”

I blinked. “You think we’re friends?”

“Aren’t we?” He started fiddling with his axe. “You’re helping fix my ship. And friends help each other right?”

He had to be a young clone. No one in their right mind would try to befriend someone they almost killed.

“Why would you even want to be my friend?”

“Well, you’re smart. You explain the things I don’t understand. And you’re not afraid of me.”

“Why would I be afraid of you?”

Sure, he was big. But he was like a sheepdog. Completely harmless as long as you gave him work to do.

“Then you’ll be my friend?” There were those big eyes again.

I cleared my throat as I focused back on my stump. “Get me a new leg and we’ll see if we can strike up a partnership.”

Suddenly, I was lifted up into the warmest hug I’d ever received. I couldn’t remember the last time someone had hugged me.

“You won’t regret this, Zee.” He set me down again. “I’ll go get the ship ready to launch.”

I could practically see his tail wagging as he left. I cleared my throat again, trying to wipe the stupid grin off my face. It was just those eyes that were effecting me. Those puppy dog eyes. Nothing else. Best to focus on repairs before I got sucked in.